The Echo of what used to be
by Jayci Todd
Summary: A mishap with magic is just the thing Jason needed in order to turn her life around. Well half way around anyway. (Female Jason Todd)
1. Damn it!

**Author's notes**

 **Dick - 22**

 **Jason - 19**

 **Babs - 26**

 **Read this story to find out how a minor incident with magic brings Jason closer to ( _insert non gender specific pronoun here_ ) family. Watch as s/he makes new friends, allies and fans. **

* * *

Gotham was a shitty place.

Sure, that was like saying that the sky was blue or that Bruce had a stick up his ass the size of an oak tree, but every so often, the thought of how shitty this place really was just stuck in his mind, especially right now. Chasing after a guy, that looked like a knock-off version of Ra's Al Ghul, was not how Jason expected his Saturday night to go.

Finally, Jason managed to jump the guy, pulling his hands behind his back and kneeing the guys back.

"Alright then, just what do you think your doing?" growled Jason, his helmet distorting his voice.

Instead of answering, the guy bucked upwards and tossed Jason off of him. Jason grunted as he hit the cool concrete and quickly got up. It was then that Jason got a good look at the guy. He looked as if he just walked into a Halloween store and picked up a Ra's Al Ghul costume that was 10 fucking times too big for him. Maybe the look worked for some people, but _no_. To be honest, he kinda looked like Joe Jonas with dreadlocks. Except he was _clearly_ Asian and his hair was blonde. Meh, close enough.

Jason was just about to toss out a remark about his costume when the guy fucking leapt forwards and _plunged_ a needle right into the slip of skin between his armour and his helmet. Jason grunted again as the needle was taken out just as fast and watched with a blurry vision as the guy disappeared. Like literally disappeared. Like **BAM** gone.

Jason hissed in pain as he felt the unknown substance shoot through his veins, setting his nerves on fire. Slowly, as to avoid as much pain as possible, Jason lifted his arm and shot off the grappling hook. Even the small tug from the gun, sent blinding shots of pain throughout his body. Trying to ignore the pain, Jason practically crawled back to his old, dingy apartment in crime alley.

When he turned off all of his security and manged to flop down on his gammy couch, the pain had become so much worse. Tears were beginning to prick at his eyes and The Red Hood. **D** **id. Not. Cry**.

"Ahh fuck, fuck, fuckity, fuck, fuck, Holy _Fuck_!" His voice _totally_ did not raise an octave higher than is humanly possible.

Somewhere in his chant of fucks, he must have fell off the couch because he could now feel the soft rug against his face.

He happened to gain full consciousness for half a second to realise that his shirt was becoming awfully loose, before he plunged into a world of blinding pain and then sweet unconsciousness.

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The first thing Jason realised when he woke up was that he was sore as fuck. Sore here, sore there, and _definitely_ sore over there. With great pain, Jason pried his eyes open and blearily blinked the spots out of his eyes.

For a moment, Jason just lay there, staring at the ceiling, trying not to move too much. Suddenly, Jason sighed and pitifully glanced down at his Red Hood outfit. Only to stop and stare at the 2 mounds on his chest.

Blink.

Blink. Bink.

Shit.

Calmly, Jason took off his helmet, the action sending pain throughout his arm, and stared again, like his helmet was projecting this mental image.

Blink. Blink.

Nope. Still there.

Shakily, Jason lowered his hand, his fingers hovering above the mounds. Hesitantly, he lowered his arm and lightly brushed it.

Solid.

Shit.

 _Shit._

Quickly, Jason scrambled up, ignoring the burning pain in his limbs as he staggered to the bathroom. In the bathroom, he tore off his uniform, only leaving his boxers on, which barely fit, and turned towards the full length mirror on the wall.

Staring back at him was a young woman with waist-length, wavy, black hair that was parted to the right with a thick, white streak on the right side of her head. She had stunning green eyes (his eyes), plump pink lips, a light splay of freckles over her nose and cheekbones and a very female body.

Wide curvy hips? Check.

Full chest and behind? Check

Long legs? Check

Heart shaped face? Check

Shorter than before? Check

Smooth, tan, olive skin? Nope, still got them damn scars.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fucking _dammit_.

Suddenly, pain erupted through his- wait no- her body and she collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. For a moment, she just lay there on the cool tiles of her bathroom floor, letting her new predicament sink in.

While normally, she would've been fine to just hole up in her apartment for a while, while she found the cure, but she could barely walk, let alone take care of herself and even if she could, she just didn't have the resources to come up with a cure for this.

Swallowing her pride, she mentally went through her list of contacts on her phone, which wasn't really that big.

Roy? Nope, visiting Tamaran with Kori

Kori? Reason above.

Replacement? Didn't he mention something about school?

Quickly, Jason pulled her phone out of her discarded jeans and checked the time. 10:12 am. Dammit. Guess replacement's a no aswell.

Well that leaves Dick, Wayne Manor, Bruce and Talia.

Well, Talia's on an undercover mission (she knew this because Talia had text her a few days ago, saying not to call her) so that meant she was out.

And hell would freeze over before she willingly called Bruce.

Wayne Manor was a no because she didn't know who would pick up.

So, that left...

Dick.

 _Dammit._

Jason grumbled in annoyance and slowly put on the Kevlar top and jeans before calling him.

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 **Tap Tap.**

Jason looked up from her spot on the floor in the bathroom and managed to crane her neck far enough to see Dick as Nightwing in the window.

"It's open." called out Jason, ignoring her new, higher pitched voice.

The screech of the window being opened, sliced through the silence effortlessly and the thud of Nightwing's heavily armoured body signaled his entrance.

"Jay?" Dick called out, his foot visible from Jason's angle.

"In here." Jason really hoped her voice didn't shake too much.

She felt, rather than heard, as Nightwing strode over to her. At the last moment, Jason decided she didn't want to see his face as he saw her and closed her eyes.

Jason sensed as Nightwing stopped in the doorway and felt his stare on her. She wondered what she looked like, wearing clothes way too big for her with her eyes closed and lay on the bathroom floor.

Jason surprised herself when she didn't automatically get up into a defensive position and instead, she just carried on laying there. Absentmindedly, Jason wondered when she became so comfortable with him. It took her months to stop doing it in front of Roy or Kori. The replacement was growing on her but it would take a lot more than a few team ups or info swaps to get her to be completely comfortable with him.

Suddenly, she felt a cool hand press against her forehead, causing her eyes to fly open in surprise.

She looked upwards and stared at Dick's unmasked eyes, his mask and gloves resting next to him.

Dick glanced at her and smiled.

"Hey." greeted Dick, removing his hand from her head and pulling a thermometer out.

Jason just groaned and shut her eyes in response.

Nightwing sighed exasperatedly and poked Jason in the arm.

Jason immediately slapped his hand away before glaring at him and exclaiming, "That hurt you asshole!" while clutching said arm.

Nightwing feigned a stab to the chest and replied, "Ouch! A lady should not use such foul language!"

Jason growled and jabbed him in the chest.

"Fuck off."

"No can do." replied Nightwing, taking the thermometer in his hands and shoving it in between Jason's parted lips.

Jason made a sound of surprise before glaring at Nightwing, an unspoken promise of pain in those emerald orbs of hers.

Nightwing may have left the thermometer in her mouth for a tad longer than necessary, but _shhh._

Nightwing pulled out the thermometer and tutted at the results, doing a perfect impression of Alfred.

" _Jeez_ Jay. Do you know how _high_ this fever is? What did you even _do?_ " berated Nightwing.

"I told you over the damn phone." stated Jason, her eyes glossy and unfocused.

Nightwing just sighed and stood up. Looking down at her, Nightwing asked, "Can you walk?"

Jason, determined to at least do something for herself, nodded and tentatively stood up.

Only to fall back down a second later.

"I guess that's a no." sighed Nightwing.

Nightwing ran a hand through his hair and put his mask and gloves back on before hooking an arm under Jason's knees and one under her back, picking her up bridal style.

Jason groaned at the sudden movement, a wave of nausea hitting her.

"Jason? you okay?" asked Nightwing, concern rolling off of him in waves.

"M'kay... just 'izzy." mumbled Jason, her eyes shut closed.

Cautiously, Nightwing climbed out of the window and started heading towards Oracle's clocktower.

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Somewhere along the journey, Jason must have passed out because when she opened her eyes again, she was laying on a medical bed in Oracle's clocktower infirmary.

Suddenly, the doors creaked open, revealing Oracle and Nightwing in the doorway. Oracle wheeled forwards and started typing on computer next to her that Jason didn't realise was there.

"Hey." greeted Nightwing. "How you feeling?"

Jason rolled her eyes at Nightwing's improper grammar and replied, "Like shit."

"Jason." Called Oracle, her face hard.

"Yea?" mumbled Jason, idly picking at her oversized jeans.

Oracle wheeled towards her and gave her a few sheets of paper.

"The fuck's this?" asked Jason, bringing the papers closer to her face.

"It's a blood analyst Jason."

"I know _that!_ What's this thing suppose to fucking tell me?" Jason said.

Oracle sniffed and replied, "Why don't you _read_ the damn thing first?"

Jason smirked that goddam smirk of hers and responded, "Nah, I'd rather you tell me Barbie."

Oracle sighed and pressed her face into her arms, likely regretting every decision that had led to this moment. Jason just got under everyone's skin like that.

Finally, after a few moments of silence from the two females and an awkwardly adorable Nightwing in the corner, Oracle lifted her face up, her business face back on.

"I've found out that your mystery man injected the liquid form of a spell into your system."

"You can do that?" questioned Jason, looking at Nightwing then Oracle.

"Apparently so." replied Nightwing, a reassuring smile on his face.

Oracle nodded in agreement and continued,

"The magic was meant to kill you from the inside out, but because of the Lazarous in your blood, it reacted with the magic and made you into a girl instead. It also seems like the magic is pushing the back the Lazarous with the way your blood has stabilised."

"Is there anyway to reverse it?" asked Nightwing at the same time Jason said, "Yay me."

Ignoring Jason, Oracle replied, "I'm afraid not. To reverse it, we would have to take the magic out of her blood but that would cause the Lazarous to snap back in."

Seeing Nightwing and Jason's confused faces, Oracle explained, "Imagine an elastic band. The magic is the hand pulling the elastic band back, but as soon as you remove the magic, the elastic band will snap back."

"Great!" exclaimed Jason, mock glee on her face. "I'm stuck like this for the rest of my second life!"

Nightwing rolled his eyes at Jason's mock excitement and replied, "It's not the worst thing, I mean, you could've been turned into... a... uh... a crab?"

Jason turned and stared at Nightwing, "A crab." repeated Jason.

Nightwing just shrugged and replied, "First thing that came to mind."

Jason just sighed and glanced back over to oracle, who was typing on her computer, but there was an mistakable tension in her limbs.

"Dick." called Jason.

"Hm?" answered Nightwing.

"Why'd you take me here, Barbie doesn't like me."

Both Barbara and Dick opened their mouths to protest but a glare from Jason shut them up.

"You're right. I don't like you, but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna help you. Plus I'm pretty sure you wouldn't appreciate waking up in the Manor." replied Barbara.

Jason just shrugged before wincing in pain and laying still again. Slowly, as to avoid pain, Jason turned her head and glared at Oracle.

Getting the memo, Barbara listed, "Side effects include pain in the limbs, nausea, dizziness, fainting, headaches and high temperatures."

"Coulda told me 'hat 'fore Babs." slurred Jason, the room spinning around her.

"You're taking this really well y'know." commented Nightwing.

Jason gave a small, one-shouldered shrug and replied, "Coulda been worse. Plus, no more 'azarous 'fluenced killings."

Oracle gave Jason an incredulous look and repeated, "Lazarous influenced killings..."

"Yup." confirmed Jason, popping the p. "I get this weird green glowy ring thing in my vision whenever imma 'bout to kill someone."

Both Nightwing and Oracle stared at the woman in an over-sized Red hood costume before them before Nightwing asked, "Babs?"

"Yea?" replied Oracle.

"Did you give her painkillers?"

Oracle nodded and replied, "Yea, but they don't seem to be working so well, why?"

Ignoring the last part, Nightwing stated, "Jason would've never said that if she wasn't doped up on something."

"That's true," agreed Oracle, an amused glint in her eyes, "She's a stubborn idiot."

"I can still hear you, you assholes." called out Jason, glaring at them from her spot on the bed.

Simultaneously, Nightwing and Oracle said, "Language."

To which Jason responded to by flipping them off, getting Nightwing to smirk and Oracle to do an impressive imitation of the bat-glare.

Jason passed out a second later, Nightwing's smirk and Oracle's glare in the back off her mind.


	2. Ow

**Fact!**

 **Jason Todd has:**

 **-Beat up a talon and Mr freeze in one move**

 **-Beat multiple manbats at once**

 **-Beat Batman with no visible damage**

 **-Knocked down lobo with one surprise hit**

 **-Beat Ra's Al Ghul in a sword fight**

 **-Beat Lady Shiva**

 **-Beat Cassandra Cain.**

 **THIS IS ALL CANON! JASON TODD IS ONE HELL OF A FIGHTER YA'LL**

* * *

When she woke up again, the massive headache that greeted her made her wish she was still asleep.

In the movies and stuff, someone will wake up, not remembering the past events before they, all so suddenly, return to them and then they start to freak out, but Jason was a fully trained assassin from both the League of Assassins and the All-caste. Mind you, the All-caste taught Ra's and Talia themselves. She was even considered as a potential heir to the League of assassins once.

The All-caste taught her a damn fricking ton of things, like that punch that takes away someone's powers for a little bit, or the how-to-read-a-person's-tone-of-voice training, but the calming and meditation tips Ducra taught her were to kill for.

Calmly, Jason sat up, keeping her eyes closed. Using her senses, she determined that she was in someone's apartment, and that she had been there for a long time if the warmth of the bed sheets said anything. Shit? Or no shit? She didn't even know right now.

Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.

Right, last place she remembered being. Hmmm. She was in her apartment... Oh! then she called Dick. um... Oracle's clocktower? Then there was some talking? Oh yea, Lazarous, Liquid magic and some other shit. Huh, She must have passed out in one of Oracle's medical beds. Hm. Wait. Then why was she in a normal bed and not in a medical bed? Like, an actual, mattress, pillow and duvet kind of bed. Not that hard-as-fuck mattress and weird, egg-shell coloured blanket.

Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.

Slowly, Jason opened her eyes, quickly scanning the room for a potential threat.

Only to be met with the guest room of Dick's ridiculously large apartment. And she only knew what Dick's guest room looked like because she had spent a few nights there when she was chasing a particularly slippery drug ring that had snuck it's way into Bludhaven mind you.

The guest room wasn't anything special. A simple hardwood floor with a massive, white, fluffy rug in the middle (if that didn't scream Dick then she didn't know _what_ did). The walls were a light grey with an overly fancy, white desk pushed up against it. The comfiest chair Jason had ever seen was tucked under said table. In the middle of the room, right in front of the massive window, there was a black, king-sized, divan bed with a large, wall-length, dark grey wardrobe to the side. There were smaller things in the room that didn't necessarily need mentioning, like the small bin in the corner, or the bonsai tree on the desk and don't even get me started on the shelves. The shelves looked like a lost and found bin, and this was only the guest room!

Jason sighed in annoyance and relief before she lifted an arm to rub at her eye, a yawn escaping her. It was then that she noticed her red hood uniform draped over the chair.

Looking down, Jason realised she was wearing one of Bab's old, grey, 'GEEK' shirts, actually being a bit too big for her, and a pair of black shorts that she'd swear on her best guns she's seen Tim wear (and they actually fit her by the way).

Jason rolled her eyes and swung her legs over the bed, preparing to get up and get some food before confronting Dick.

Only for her legs to fail her and for her to fall to the floor with an almighty crash, stubbing her toe on the fucking fancy desk in the mean time. She yelped in shock and pain and let out a string of curses that would make _Alfred_ faint.

Suddenly, Dick came rushing in, blue eyes frantic. When he spotted Jason on the floor clutching her toe, he just sighed and ran a hand over his face.

"Jesus Christ Jay." exclaimed Dick, leaning against the doorway, hands crossed over his chest.

Jason looked up from her spot on the floor and replied, "I'm an atheist."

Dick snorted and uncrossed his arms, walking forwards to stand next to her.

Looking down at her, he smirked that goddam smug smirk of his and asked, "You need any help?"

Jason growled at him and managed to spit out a strangled, "No."

Dick just raised an eyebrow, his facial expression just screaming 'sure.' but he didn't make a move. Jason clutched the bed and slowly lifted herself off of the the floor, trying to ignore the burning pain that set her blood on fire.

Eventually, she managed to reach a point were she was half slumped against the wall and half standing, her breathing coming out in hard, laboured pants. The bile that was creeping up her throat made her wish she had just stayed on the floor. Swallowing her urge to throw up everywhere, she chanced a glance in her adopted older brother's direction, taking in his furrowed brows and outstretched arms.

Taking a deep breath, Jason tentatively took a step forward, making sure her leg didn't shake too much. Slowly, Jason put one foot in front of the other, still leaning heavily against the door, she didn't even know what she was going to do when she reached the door (do a kind of shimmy around the door frame onto the hallway's wall?) but that could come later. Her method was working until a particularly jerky movement caused her to tumble to the floor, not so gracefully.

Immediately, Dick was by her side, arms around her waist and slowly lifting her up again.

"I don't need your help." grumbled Jason, despite the fact that she moved her arms to let Dick hold her better.

Dick rolled his eyes and continued to help get Jason to the living room. Of course he knew that Jason wouldn't want his help until the day she dies, probably not even then, but he knew it was more about a matter of pride and showing weakness and vulnerability than anything else. Jason and Damian were way too similar for his tastes sometimes.

Entering the living area, he carefully guided Jason onto the couch, making sure she was comfortable before heading into the kitchen area to get something to eat. It was 10am anyway. He also made it a point to be able to see Jason at anytime.

Looking into his pantry for the bread to make himself a sandwich, his Alfred manners kicked him in the shin and made him call out,

"Do you want anything?"

There was a small lapse in time before Jason called out again, "How long was I out?"

Dick thought about this for a second before replying, "A day and something."

Jason hummed in response and reached for the remote, turning the T.V on and turning it to the news section.

"Do you have anything other than cereal?"

Dick rolled his eyes and replied, "I can make sandwiches."

Jason nodded to herself before replying, "I'll have a sandwich then."

Then as an afterthought, she added, "As long as you don't burn down the fucking kitchen first that is."

"I burn your kitchen that one time..." grumbled Dick.

"You fucking set fire to a kettle while boiling water!" exclaimed Jason, exasperation clear in her ever rising voice.

"I didn't know how to use it!" Dick defended, his voice rising too.

"You flick a switch Dick! A Switch! HOW!?" demanded Jason, her voice breaking several windows at the end.

Before Dick could reply, a calm but worried knock sounded at the door. Jason slumped further into the sofa, grumbling about kettles and something.

Dick sighed and made his way to the door. Looking through the peephole, it showed his lovely neighbour, Mrs Bertini at the door. Dick opened the door and greeted, "How are you Mrs Bertini? Do you need anything?"

Mrs Bertini smiled, her cherry red lipstick expanding upwards and outwards.

"Sorry to bother you dear, I just heard some shouting and I was wondering if you were okay."

Dick smiled reassuringly at her and replied, "Oh, no everything's fine."

Mrs Bertini frowned and asked, "Are you sure dearie?"

"Yup, everything's fine. I promise you Mrs Bertini."

The tight-lipped smile on Mrs Bertini's face wasn't reassuring at all but she seemed to deem to situation okay as she turned around a second later, shouting "Goodbye dear." behind her back.

Dick smiled and replied, "Bye."

Closing the door, Dick turned to see Jason glaring intently at her untouched sandwich.

"Jason?" called out Dick. Suddenly, Jason reeled back as if she had been hit and directed her fierce glare towards Dick. If looks could kill, Dick would be a rotting skeleton 6 feet under right now.

When nothing came out of her mouth, Dick continued, "What's the matter?"

Jason opened her mouth but then closed it again, closely imitating a goldfish. Dick would've gladly pointed that out if he was sure that he wouldn't be decapitated as soon as the first word came out of his mouth.

Jason pursed her lips and replied, "Nothing at fucking all. In fact, I'll- uh- I'll just be leaving."

Dick internally cursed up a storm as he watched Jason try to stand up. Quickly, Dick walked over to Jason, his mouth set in a firm line.

"What makes you think that?" asked Dick, his eyebrows furrowed.

Jason shifted on her feet and adjusted the arm that was propping her up.

"Fuck off will ya." grumbled Jason, unknowingly letting her crime alley accent slip in.

Dick rolled his eyes and gently pushed Jason back onto the couch before taking a seat her to her.

"I'm not doing this out of pity y'know," Dick started, having noticed the sudden change in atmosphere. "You're welcome to stay."

Jason snorted. "Welcome my ass."

Dick sighed. "I mean it little wing."

Jason flinched at the years old nickname and snapped, "Don't call me that."

Confused, Dick asked, "Why not?"

"Your little wing's dead Dick, he ain't coming back."

Dick sighed. "You're still my little wing Jay, dead or not. He's still there somewhere, he's just locked away in a box, waiting to be unlocked again."

Jason snorted and playfully/aggressively shoved him. A bittersweet smile rested across his lips as he took in Jason's look of denial but didn't mention anything. Instead, using the momentum from Jason's push and bumping his shoulders against hers.

"So, you are staying right, because I don't actually think you could make it back to Gotham right now."

Jason grumbled in disagreement at the last part but responded, "Yeah yeah, sure."

At the look on Dick's face, Jason continued, "I'm only staying until the side effects wear off you asshole. Don't get your hopes up."

Dick's positivity, grin and downright happy aura wasn't the least bit affected by the announcement, causing Jason to roll her eyes and pick up the forgotten sandwich that lay by her side that wasn't occupied by a Dick. Pun intended.

Taking a bite, Jason chewed thoughtfully before swallowing.

"This sandwich is actually half decent."

Dick beamed and went to eat his own sandwich. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Whatever floats your boat Goldie."


End file.
